Feel good hits of the 22nd December

1. '23 Beats Off' - Fugazi
2. 'Gathering Storm' - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
3. 'Don't Cry' - Deerhunter
4. 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' - The National
5. 'Ready To Start' - Arcade Fire
6. 'Sick Muse' - Metric
7. 'Road To Joy' - Bright Eyes
8. 'All You'd Ever Need To Say' - Field Music
9. 'In A While' - Beaches
10. 'I Don't Really Mind' - Tame Impala

Notes:

1. I've said it before and I'll say it again (no doubt countless times): In On The Kill Taker is Fugazi's finest hour. This track's a personal favourite, betraying as it does a strong Sonic Youth influence - unsurprising, really, given that Ian MacKaye had played on Dirty the year before.

2. Probably the highlight of their Friday night set at ATP - though 'Blaise Bailey Finnegan III' to finish ran it very close.

3. Halcyon Digest has finally won me around - on its own terms, though, still not in relation to Microcastle.

4. Gearing up for the SWSL end-of-year lists, and High Violet is guaranteed to be featuring...

5. ... as is The Suburbs. Not jealous of those who saw/are seeing Montreal's finest on their UK tour - no, not jealous at all...

7. "No one ever plans to sleep out in the gutter / Sometimes that's just the most comfortable place". That whole album is lyrical genius.